A Story
by chrisj770
Summary: The main character travels to a world beyond the one he knows. (Different style of writing than some are used to, but an entertaining read.)
1. A Bright Light

To be fair, a story like this is too confusing to start or end with confidence. There are too many aspects to summarize, too many things that just "happened," for me to find an acceptable starting point. Just be warned: the story is baffling and unbelievable, and the ending is not a happy one. Not many stories end like that: I dare to differ.

Introductions first: my name is Chris. (Yes, I will be the one telling the story, so you get that fun 17-year-old perspective on everything. No differing perspectives here.) At one point in my life, I lived, worked, and went to school in California: the southern part with all the people. I had a great family of six, and a brief but memorable childhood.

_Getting annoying, is it not? The weird style of writing. I find it as a personal expression. You will probably remember it like, "That one guy with the weird story, who went to that other world with the creatures, and bad things happened." That's what I'm going for. _

Anyway, I went to school in a small town called Claremont. That was the most amazing experience of my life, studying where I did. (I'll tell you exactly where it is later.) The teachers were smart, the deans were smart, the students were smart, even the security guards knew what was going on. It was, truly, a sheltered area in which to grow up.

Being slightly outcast myself, I had a few friends.

But then there was Steve.

Steven Lawrence was a teacher at the school. He taught chemistry, but had a few experiments of his own that he tried in his spare time. He was like one of those "mad scientist" stereotypes, only with a better looking stature. He was around 25, which was _really_ young for a science teacher, but they hired him anyway. He comes into the story a bit later.

Steve was the coolest guy around campus. Everybody liked him, not so much as a teacher, but as a friend. He was that one guy who would always encourage us to do our best. He'd show up at runs to movies, and he'd be the one person we would actually _allow_ in the van. He wasn't married either, so all the girls flooded his office between classes. (Which sucked for us guys, but you get the picture.)

And this guy was crazy smart. He was working on getting his Nobel Prize for something like "Inter-universal Travel." (Whatever that meant.) Every night the students who lived in the dorms could hear him halfway across the campus, screaming at himself and his inventions. But he never went crazy: he just shook it off and kept working.

* * *

So it was around two years ago, when I was a sophomore, that things started to ramp up.

"_More slang again, Chris?" says the audience in their intellectual senses. "Yeah," I respond. "That's how the story's gonna be for the next few chapters."_

Steve had been working on something in his office. No Steve meant no class for us. So we sat in our desks for around 15 minutes before getting up and leaving. Some were happy, but his class was probably the best one, so most of us were reluctant to leave.

That was expected. There were many times he didn't show up for class. But this time it was different. He was gone for around four days before anyone became worried. At that point, they called his house. Obviously, there was no response from anyone. He wasn't married.

And then he just showed up again. He didn't look any different from before, in fact, he looked happier, like he had made some _life-changing discovery_.

We were all happy, but we didn't think much of it. There must have been a case in the past where he ran away and showed up a few days later.

–

_Best not to skip over any paragraphs. Might be some useful information._

A few days after his absence I was in need of some help. Finals were coming up, and although his tests were fairly easy, there were still a few concepts I didn't understand. So I ventured down to his office after school hours to ask him a few questions.

That was the first mistake. (...or new beginning, whichever you prefer.)

I knocked on the door twice like I always do, then opened the door. His office was completely dark, with no sign of Steve. So I turned the light on.

Usually there was a big table in the center of the room, with a few cluttered papers and a pencil-case. He took notes and organized blueprints on that table. When a student had a question, he cleared the table, placed a stack of white papers on it, and proceeded to explain the solution flat-out. He knew the answer every time, and the students left that table knowing the answer every time.

That table was missing. In its place was what looked like a briefcase. Within there was some complicated wiring and computer chips connected to fans and whatnot. And there was a green button labeled "ON" and a red button labeled "OFF." (He liked to keep things simple.)

–

So...

Naturally, I was curious: I was fifteen. What do you expect a teenager to do in that situation? Many thoughts ran through my head at that moment. _What is this thing? What does it do? Where is Steve, he's usually here. What happens when I press the "on" button?_

Then my scholarly side turned on for a few seconds. _What are the potential consequences of pressing the button? I could die! Steve could show up at any moment and scold me for touching his Nobel-Prize winning invention! Or worse: the security could come and kick me off campus! Or I could die! I should stay away from it._

Nope.

So I pressed that button. A slight humming sound started emanating from the center of the case. It got increasingly loud, until a high-pitched squeal drowned it out. I covered my ears. _I should have listened to myself._

Then there was no sound. My breathing seemed very loud to me. It was even worse to hear nothing at all. The lights shorted out, and with the combination of darkness from outside and in the office, I could see nothing at all.

And suddenly, there was an oval of light suspended in the air in front of me. That's it. All it was a bright light. Probably three feet tall, two feet wide, no depth (I couldn't tell). And it was just … there.

Okay, so now what? Touch it? Turn it off? There were quite a few decisions I could have (and _should_ have) made at that point. Unfortunately for me, my curiosity caught up with me again. And the story progresses.

* * *

_But a true reader would want me to touch the white light. I mean, had I _not _touched it, where would the story go from there? I would have left it alone, finished school, got a job, found a wife, grown old, and died. And what fun is there in a story like that? Instead of sitting there and thinking, "God, he's such an idiot. Why would anyone in their right mind touch some potentially dangerous white light?" you should be glad I touched it. _


	2. Experience

Then there was confusion. The white light engulfed my line of sight, front and back. It was a typical dream sequence, but with fewer hallucinations and more light. I felt a pain begin to emanate from the top of my head and move down. When it reached my eyes, I had no choice but to close them.

After the pain had ceased, I received the ability to open my eyes. I was in a forest.

It was a particularly normal forest, nothing out of the ordinary (except my presence there). There were many trees all around, spaced perfectly to allow walking and provide cover. There were a few leaves on the ground: slightly out of season, but explainable. It would be the perfect location for a photo.

But it wasn't Steve's office. One could only imagine the confusion from that point on. I had stood in that office a few seconds ago, and now I was in a forest. Also, it was _nighttime _before.

_Interrupting the story with a question: What would _you _do in that situation? Where would you go, what would you say? It was slightly stressful, don't judge my reaction._

I had to pinch myself a few times to make sure I wasn't dreaming. I checked: still had my clothes, cell phone, and backpack with a few assorted commodities. (Textbooks probably wouldn't do me any good here, but it was reassuring to have something.) Worst of all, there was no cell phone signal.

But there was panic, coupled with several more useless and rhetorical questions. I needed a plan of action. The land was unfamiliar and there was no one around. I mindlessly started moving in a like the smartest idea at the time, so why not?

* * *

While passing through what seemed like an endless forest, I kept hearing a voice from behind. I could make out speech in a strange language. Also, it was quiet enough for me to assume I wasn't supposed to hear it. It was _extremely _obvious that someone was following me.

Assuming hostile, I sped up my pace for a few steps, stopping only when the voice was no longer audible. I tried to scare it off. _Smart._ It whistled again seconds later, but was drowned out by my ingenious plan to cause an incredible amount of noise in a dangerous environment.

Then there was time to think. I thought about my reason for being here: obviously I was being punished for something. I had probably displeased a deity or divine being, and was being transported here as a cruel method of discipline. My parents were most likely tired of my terrible work ethic and had organized something with Steve against my existence. Steve must have created his invention with a sole purpose: my banishment from civilization. Those were the only plausible explanations.

I sat down under the first tree I could find and began an episode of self-loathing. I was hungry. (Without a doubt, I had walked for _at least_ an hour.) In modern-day, there was usually a helicopter passing over forests like these. However, no flying object greeted me that day. My death was inevitable.

–

From my seated position, I spotted a pair of tall ears behind a bush. Finally, my first wilderness meal has arrived!

I rose and wandered stealthily towards it. This animal would not escape me, no matter how swift or crafty. I was going to dine in comfort that night, with a pelt for a pillow and meat on the fire. My mouth watered with excitement as I turned the corner behind the bush.

…

Sitting there was this … thing.

I honestly don't know how to explain it. (Any explanation would sound false, no matter how it's told.) Whatever it was, it looked like a human. It had two arms and legs... just like a human. It had two eyes, a mouth, and hair... just like a human.

But it wasn't a human. It looked like a _fox, _at least more than a person. It had fur covering its entire body, and two long ears that extended from the sides of its head. It stood on long, slender feet that gave it the majority of its height. Even more, it had a nose that extended a few inches from the rest of the face. Most of its body was an orange-reddish color, with the ends of its feet and arms a deep shade of brown.

It stood up, its height around four feet, and looked at me with huge eyes. Those eyes were a mix of blue and green, just like a human. It opened its mouth. The voice was higher than I expected.

"H-Hi."

_Okay, stop the story here. First I was brought to a strange forest by a crazy teacher's invention. Then I was about to catch and eat a small fox from behind a bush. Now the fox looks like a human and is talking to me. Yup. Carry on._

The fox was talking. That wasn't exactly a common situation for me, so I did not know how to proceed. Friendly greeting?

"H-h-hey. How are you?" I responded after lengthy and careful thought.

"Please don't hurt me, mister."

Ah, that caught me off guard. I was probably two feet taller, and I was just about to eat her. _Her. This is a she. A young girl by the looks of things. She must have been scared to death._

"Don't worry. No danger here." I tried to calm her down. "I'm Chris. What's you're name?"

She sprinted off the other direction. Obviously I had said something threatening, or she sensed my hunger, because she didn't stop running until I was out of sight. _Can't blame me, though. With a first encounter like that, how was I supposed to respond?_

I followed her into the distance.

* * *

Jogging for a half-mile or so, I came across another tall fox thing wandering between a few broken trees. This one was a male (warrior) around my height or taller, with gray fur and a strong body. Needless to say, he wasn't happy to see me running into his territory.

"Oy, Na'ralch Demahrs, Human!"

I didn't know what that meant, and didn't have the chance to figure it out. I sprinted as fast as I could away from him, but being a lazy procrastinator the majority of my life caught up with me.

He overtook me in a few feet and brought me to the ground. Seconds later my hands were tied and my mouth gagged. He taunted me in that odd language (as if I could understand it), brought me to my feet, and poked at me with his knife, motioning for me to move forward. Terrified out of my mind, I complied.

_Yeah, that sucked. It could have been worse, though. He could have mistaken me for a threat and killed me on the spot. Come to think of it, I'm more-or-less lucky the story didn't end there._

* * *

Walking for a few minutes, we approached an area with large tents and fires scattered around a clearing. _This had to be a tribe of mutant human-animal hybrids. There's no sign of civilization besides the knives and fires. Where the hell am I?_

It was getting dark by the time I was dragged into the village. There were probably two-hundred foxes surrounding me and my new gray friend. I was too busy hyperventilating with distress to comprehend my fate. He dragged me into the largest tent, as many curious fox things followed.

Within were three grand foxes, around four inches taller than me, sitting on woven chairs and smoking oddly shaped pipes. Gray removed the gag and sent the stragglers out. Disappointed, the entire population of the tribe left me with three older foxes, most likely to decide my destiny. _Bummer._

_So the chapter ends with me in a forest, surrounded by talking foxes. Yes, a very far-fetched introduction indeed. Not only that: my luck even worsens later on. Hard to believe isn't it? Carry on._


	3. Clara

_I was in the debate club a few years back. I wasn't the best, mind you, but I could say what was needed and cheat my way out of any situation. It was a good skill to have, at least back then._

"Why have you brought us this human?"

Something was very wrong here. If humans were not the dominant species around here, I was in a lot of trouble. I stood my ground.

"He was running through the hunting grounds. There's no doubt he's a spy."

"None of the humans would _dare _cross our borders. This one is obviously lost, or stupid. What business do you have here?"

I still was in no position to rebut the personal insults from the guy in charge. These weird things spoke English, which was good enough for me. Since my situation was still awfully confusing, I decided to take advantage of their knowledge, however limited.

"I- I was just walking down the stairs! And there was this thing, and I touched it, and then I was here! I don't know what's going on. Please, I mean you no harm!" That was about the best I could do.

The middle fox put his hand to his chin and locked his eyes to mine. They were like unmoving orbs of light and energy, that refused to see anything but me. That was the most intimidating thing I had seen in a while.

The fox to his right leaned towards him and whispered something, outside of my earshot. I could only assume that he was giving a suggestion about my method of execution. _Something like, "Shall we hang him or stone him to death?"_

"Your clothes are not that of usual humans. Where are you from?" It is true, they were an obvious difference from what I had witnessed. I was the only one wearing a shirt, more-or-less shoes and a backpack.

"Uh..Claremont."

That was confusing to them. They looked at each other with puzzled faces, shrugging their shoulders.

"Claremont... California?" Still nothing.

"United States?" Nope.

_I was really lost._

"Please, I just need some food and a place to stay the night! I won't bother you after that!" I knew fully that begging would not help me. They had something against humans, and I was a human. But it was worth a try, considering how little these foxes knew of me.

More thinking. The same fox leaned over once again, shaking his head. Not a good sign for me.

"You are correct, we cannot allow a human into our village, even temporarily. You must leave at once." More whispering. "We will give you supplies and food, but you must go as soon as possible."

_The result could have been a lot worse. I didn't even have to argue._

The gray fox sighed with discontent. Obviously, he wanted to be the one to kill me, after chasing me through the forest and tackling me to the ground. It probably wasn't the tradition to help a lost human. _Heh, you're not getting rid of me that easily._

* * *

I was led out of the tent and into another. I took a seat on the dirt.

Another good time for thought. They must have been a semi-developed tribe: they knew to make knives and fire. Also, I was going to live another day. But why couldn't I be at home, resting in a bed and awaiting school the following day?

Another fox, this time a girl, carried a leather sack into the tent. Unlike the fox I had met in the forest, she seemed taller and more mature, almost reaching my height. Her fur was a similar red as the other, but darker. She must have been around eighteen: she had very prominent "features", exemplified by the fact that nobody wore shirts. For a second, I looked at her and found her attractive...

_"Whoa, we know where this is going," the reader states sarcastically. Doesn't matter, it's the basis of a story, it needs to develop somehow._

She had probably been the one assigned to bring the promised supplies to the human. Grabbing odd objects from the bag, she laid a small inventory of necessities on the floor. (The objects may as well have been ancient artifacts: the only familiar tools were a fork and knife.) She wouldn't make eye contact. _Figures, I know as much about her as she does about me. Might as well find out._

"Um...excuse me?" There was no method of starting a proper conversation in that position. That may have been the reason for her silence. Either that, or she was scared for her life.

"Y-y-yes?" I was able to determine the answer from her response.

"Can you tell me where I am?"

"Mah'ran." _That was quite helpful._

"Okay, where's that?"

"Two hundred fifty paces from the wolves, a hundred to sea. D-Don't you humans use 'kilometers'?"

_Wolves? There's more than talking foxes in these woods?_ "Um... yeah, something like that." Then awkward silence. It would have been less awkward had she not been attractive as hell. And completely naked. Yeah, that would have helped.

At that point I lost it.

"Listen, I don't know what's going on. I come from the United States, we have cars and buildings and electricity. Do you know about any of that? This is all too weird for me. Where I come from, foxes don't talk or walk on two legs! They are little creatures that we hunt for skins! You're don't even exist! You're not supposed to! Where am I?"

She sat on the ground, seeming sad and quite guilty. I had clearly put her at fault for my troubles, or she saw it that way. And to place the theoretical "icing on the cake," a tear ran down her cheek. _Great job, dumbass, make the cute girl cry._

"I'm sorry. It's been a long day. Thank you for the supplies." I grabbed the bag and opened the side of the tent.

"Wait!"

I stopped midway and turned around. For the first time, she was looking up in my eyes. Her's were a smooth shade of blue, just like mine. The moment seemed to last forever.

"Please stay."

I smiled, turned around, and sat next to her. She must have had as long a day as I. I started to put my arm around her, then retracted it after realizing what her reaction would be. After a prolonged time pondering my next move, I managed to ask, "What's your name?" _Might as well._

"Clara."

_Clara. _

_Latin origin meaning "clear or bright." It reflected her perfectly._

"Hey, how much longer you need in there? We need to get that human outta–" That one gray fox had come back to check on Clara. He did not expect to witness us sitting together. Obviously, he and she had a special connection that I was violating because, as most great authors can, I saw the steam emanating from his pointy ears.

Clara got up and left with him without another word. _God damn, man! I was just about to have a conversation with an attractive fox, when you storm in and steal the opportunity! _I swore vengeance on Gray from that point onward.

He poked his head back into the tent, as if on cue. "If I see anything like that again, I'm going to kill you_ then and there_. You have been warned."

_Alright then, jeez._

* * *

The lack of city lights provided an extravagant view of the stars. Since I was forced to leave the village, but had no destination, I set up the tent a quarter-mile from the comforting fires, but still within sight. The tent had more patches than fabric, and was probably the oldest one. (Must be prejudice against humans.) But it would have to do.

I was used to sleeping on a large mattress, so falling asleep on the ground wasn't an option. I decided to summarize everything that had happened that day:

_First, I woke up to a hot breakfast. There was no traffic on the way to school this morning, so I got the best parking spot in the lot. I soared through my classes that day, giving me plenty of time to study when I got home. I then proceeded to drive back to school, stumble across a case that teleported me into an alternate universe, where animals walk and talk and can run faster than I can. I faced death, but was banished, then met Clara. And now I'm here._

But then I realized: it could all have been a dream. It seemed like a plausible solution. I was tired from studying, so it is possible that I fell asleep before driving back to school. Why would I drive to school at night, anyway? As soon as I wake up, it will be in my bed at home.

And another thing, why was I so attracted to that fox? I'm a human, she's an animal. We're not compatible! If anything, does that make me a creep?

_Then vulgar images of her popped into my head, and I watched them until I fell asleep._


	4. Answers

"_Chris, come downstairs. I made bacon!"_

_Bacon. I love bacon._

I sat straight up in my bed. Then I looked around and realized I wasn't in my bed: I was lying face-down in dirt. Obviously, my wishes for my previous normal life, one where bacon is actually a reality, weren't granted. It pissed me off.

Then I noticed the smell. I checked to make sure something hadn't died in the tent. Turns out, it was my clothes. I hadn't taken a shower in a full day, not a big problem. But rolling around in the dirt during the night had attracted a lot of random things from the ground. I wasn't used to spending my nights on dirt. Didn't want to get used to it, either.

So I took my shirt off. _Might as well, nobody else wears shirts._

I took down the tent and looked back in the direction of that fox village. Every single one was up and doing their jobs. Some were caring for children, others fixing tools, and in the corner a group was getting ready to go out and hunt. _At least that's what it looked like._

I picked up my bag and walked back into the village. I really wanted to see Clara again. But with full honesty, I was in a greater need for answers.

* * *

I had forgotten that I was banished the day before. When I walked past the first tent, all eyes were on me. I tried to avoid eye contact, but there was some nonetheless. Also, I wasn't wearing a shirt.

Then I caught the eye of Gray, who was preparing for the hunt.

"What are you still doing here?!" He wasn't in a good mood. It caught me off guard. "You dare cross us again, human?"

"I- I don't have anywhere to go."

"That doesn't mean you can come back here."

"I just need some answers, then I'll leave you and Clara alone forever." That was a lie. There was simply too much curiosity to leave that quickly.

"Alright, what."

"First, where am I?"

"Mah'ran."

_Damn you, I already knew that. I was about to attack him before I realized that Clara had told me that information in the tent, and he couldn't have possibly known._

"And my name's Lucas, thanks for asking."

_Lucas._

_Latin origin meaning "bringer of light." Ironic: it sounds like someone else I had encountered._

"Ok, _Lucas_. Who inhabits this world?"

"Where did you say you were from, human?"

Obviously an odd question to ask. "Claremont, California. United States."

"Is that near Templar territory?"

_Templar? You mean the Knights Templar from the middle ages? Where the hell am I. _I decided not to confuse him further. "You could say that. My answer?"

"Well, there's us, the fox Keidran. There's the wolves and canine to the north. Also the tigers to the east. Then across the Great Sea the Basitins. And you damn humans in the northeast. Your kind have oppressed ours since the war in 410!"

At that point, I needed to sit down._ It was a lot to take in. Obviously, I wasn't on the continent anymore. It was questionable if I was on _earth_ anymore. I wasn't even in the same time period! Old human Templars were living among talking animals, "Keidran" he called them, and whatever a "Basitin" was. And they were at war! In the year 410! What have I missed? _I placed my head in my hands. "T-thanks, that's all."

I looked up again. Lucas had gone back to his hunting group. I was left alone in the center of the village. What now?

Clara was walking around, pretending she didn't notice me, but looking over every so often. She most likely heard everything that Lucas had told me. Despite (most likely) hating humans for their crimes to her people, she looked as if she felt sorry for me. Seeing I was depressed beyond belief, she came over and sat on the ground next to me. "Y-you okay?"

I looked over at her. "I don't know where I am now! I don't know what to do or where to go; I don't even have a family!" I placed my face down to my legs. I won't admit that I cried about it, but it was pretty close.

"I'm sorry." She didn't know how to deal with me at that point. I don't suppose anyone could have helped at that point: I was an emotional mess. But I had good reason for it. She sat with me through it, that's all that matters. _Now that I think about it today, she was probably going against her instinct by being with me at all. I thank her now for that._

* * *

When I had calmed down, she regained the nerve to talk. "So, what's your plan?" She said it in a low and comforting tone.

"I don't know. I guess I'll have to find the nearest human town and begin a new life there. Nowhere else for me to go. Do you know any nearby?"

"I know of only one, Agenor. It is near the border."

"C-can you take me there? To the city? To my own kind?"

Her eyes became fearful as they met mine. I had asked too much of her. "I…we never go there. They forbid us from crossing the border. And it's dangerous in the woods, there are evil humans, and feral Keidran, and…"

"Never mind. It's okay, I can figure it out." I got up. _Any outsider could see I had no experience with women or kindness. Can't blame me for that, I was still in adolescence. Would have had a few years to change back in 2013, but not nearly as much time here._

It was nearly nine in the morning as I approached the tent of those leader foxes. _Keidran. That's what they're called." _I entered hastily. They wanted to be rid of the human influence, and they were about to receive that gift.

"H-hello?"

"That human again. You were banished! Why do you stay?"

"I'm leaving now. I just need directions to Agenor."

A map was brought into the tent and laid in front of me. There was a large crescent-shaped landmass in the center, and an island to the south (most likely that Basitin island). But I couldn't make out any words from the map, even the names of human towns. It was pointless to follow this map: I couldn't derive a single name.

I looked up at the "Keidran." They stared back at me, matter-of-factly, as if to ask "Is there a problem?"

"Thank you. I will be on my way."

Grabbing the map, my bag, and my new (useless) supplies, I opened the door and led myself out. I stared at the foxes who had been staring at me for so long. It was a silent goodbye. I felt sad that I was leaving, even though I was never truly invited, and even attacked by the population.

As I walked out, Lucas, who was watching me leave along with the rest of the village, sighed in relief and smiled. _He wasn't thinking anything short of "Good riddance." I don't blame him._

But I really had no idea where I was going. I could be going directly into hostile territory. If I encountered a dog or a wolf, they might not be as friendly as Lucas was, during our first encounter. There were so many factors that could lead to my death, but what choice did I have? I wasn't welcome here anyway.

* * *

"Wait!"

I turned around to see Clara running towards me, in all her glory. That prompted Lucas to drop what he was doing and run over as well.

"I'll go with you."

_What? Not that I'd have a problem with that._

"No you won't! It's too dangerous. You can't just walk into human territory! They will enslave us again, or worse! And… (he whispered into her ear, intentionally loud enough for me to hear.)…do you really trust this human? After all they did to us? Our family?"

"I'm a big girl now! I can handle myself, don't worry about me."

He grabbed her by the wrist. "No! I won't let you!"

_There was something wrong here. After what Lucas had told me, she shouldn't want to go with me. She shouldn't want anything to _do _with me. So why is she offering?_

"Brother, you need to let me go. I can do this! He needs help, and I can help him. Please, let me go."

_Brother? Ah, so they're siblings. I suspected something, and I was hoping they weren't "together."_

He looked into her beautiful eyes, and finally gave in.

"Oh, thank you, thank you! Human, come with me." She motioned for me, but back towards the village. (Probably to get ready for the arduous journey before her.)

_I decided, right then and there, that she was the most gracious being I have come across. Not only was I an enemy, but she still did not know my name. Yet, a kindness in her heart compelled her to help me reach a human town. It is doubtful I would have taken the same risks for an outsider. Beautiful and kind, an amazing combination._


	5. Draws our Worlds Apart

_There was one day that I skipped football practice a few years back. It was the day we learned the plays and important concepts. An opportunity appears every once in a while; taking it seriously is the challenge. _

I followed her into a tent.

There was a tarp on the ground, and two bags on the sides, but not much else. It was surprising to witness anyone live like this: there was just too little to survive. I realized I had been given, _at least_, half a regular fox's necessities, and I was ungrateful for it.

And sitting in the corner was another fox, that one much younger than Clara. It's fur was a brighter reddish color than her's, with the ends of her arms and feet a deep shade of brown.

_Wait a second. Isn't this the same fox you met in Chapter 2? It fits the description! _As a matter of fact, it was. That same fox that had introduced me to the world of creepy talking foxes was sitting before me once again. Once I noticed her, I couldn't help but feel a bit excited. _Like meeting an old friend, except we had never actually met and she was afraid I would kill her. _

"Clara! Where have you b-"

My presence at the doorway cut her short. She looked up at me, and her eyes became twice their original size. Clara saw what was happening and covered her ears. I didn't get the signal fast enough.

That tiny little Keidran _screamed_. It pierced my eardrums, as well as those of the entire village. I covered my ears as well, but the damage had already been done. There was ringing from then on. But no one else seemed to react to it. Apparently, that sort of thing happened quite often.

She ran and hid behind Clara, grasping onto her leg for her life. I felt sorry, but as unattractive as I may have seemed to some, nobody had ever screamed at the sight of me. Looking back, I feel slightly offended. But the case here was different.

"Big sis! That's it, right there! That's the scary thing I saw in the forest!"

"It's right there! Get it out!"

"It's scary! Look, it doesn't even have fur!"

"Get it away from me! Clara!"

_Just slightly offended. _

"Anna, calm down! This is a _human. _They don't have any fur like we do, but just because he's different than you are doesn't mean he's going to attack you."

_Anna._

_Greek and Hebrew origin meaning "full of grace." The mother of this family must have thought the world of her children._

"Hi again. I'm Chris." I tried to fix things between us.

_Chris._

_Greek origin meaning something religious. I couldn't say exactly: my parents thought it was a good name at the time. Obviously, they didn't expect me to need a meaningful name, nor for me to write a story about inter-dimensional travel that required a meaningful origin for that name. _

She poked out ever so slightly from behind her sister.

"A-Anna."

"Well, Anna," I knelt down, bringing myself to her level. "Your sister and I are going to find a human village called Agenor. Hopefully, I can find other humans and maybe, just maybe, get back to my normal life." _I didn't believe that._

"Is that true, sissy?"

Clara nodded her head and went back to packing various supplies into a bag.

"But what about me? Are you just going to leave me and Luke alone here? What will I do while big bro's out hunting? Who will I play with? _Who will make food for us?_"

They sat down together as Anna continued.

"What will we do if we're attacked by the wolves again? And what if the tent collapses? And sissy, I'm getting older! What happens if..." She paused, glared at me for a few seconds, then leaned into her sister's tall ear and whispered something. I respected the privacy.

Clara sighed. I sighed as well, when I realized it was acceptable to do so.

"Anna, you're a big girl. You can take care of Luke by yourself. I showed you how to season the meat. It's only for a few days."

"But I'll... I'll miss you."

She was almost crying by that point. They hugged each other.

* * *

I was waiting outside the tent. I thought I should leave them alone for a while. _With full honesty, it was the best decision I had and would make the entire story. Place a bookmark here._

Lucas came up to me at the most convenient of times. "Causing trouble again, human?"

"No, just waiting for them to say their goodbye's."

He looked around, making sure nobody was watching. It was amazing that nobody saw what he did after that. To be fair, I was a human in a village full of foxes: one would think _somebody_ would have been watching.

He reached out and grabbed my collar, stretching it and pulling me towards him. He had tremendous strength, I'll give him that. He pressed his muzzle against my insignificant nose.

"Now listen here, human. My sister may be too naïve to see through your guise, but I'm not so easily tricked! I know your kind, we fought against your technology and brutal force in many battles. If my sister has so much as a scratch on her when she returns, I'll slit your throat. And if she doesn't return, a _far_ worse fate will become of you. You understand?"

Things between him and I weren't going as planned. I probably could have taken him down there, but that would have destroyed my chance of finding my way home. So what now? Comply and submit to orders, or assert dominance and lose everything?

"Yeah. Got it." I took the easy way out.

"Good." He loosened his grip and continued. "Are you willing to kill others of your kind to protect my sister?"

_That caught me by surprise. I had forgotten that the foxes weren't fond of the humans. But I didn't know until now that they took it as far as killing each other. It was another case in which I had to be grateful: I hadn't been killed at first sight, as was probably instinct._

Also, I hadn't considered what the humans would be like, or how I would get into the town with a fox, since they hated each other so much. _The human culture may be more advanced than the fox culture. They might have tanks and planes and machine guns for all I know! _Bringing weapons to school wasn't a hobby of mine, so I didn't have a way of defending myself.

Should I really have accepted this challenge? Did I really want to return home so much that I would risk my life to do so?

"I am willing. I promise nothing will happen to her." I said it confidently. It seemed enough for him. He let go of my collar and turned away. _But whether I could keep the promise..._

"You best _mean_ it."

While he was walking away, I remembered our last encounter and called out for him.

"Oh, and Lucas?"

He stopped and looked my way, still within earshot.

"My name's Chris, thanks for asking."

* * *

Clara had managed to release herself from the grasp of her sister. It was heartbreaking, tearing them apart like that. But I didn't doubt they would see each other again, just I wouldn't be there.

"Ready to go?"

"Yeah," she said, wiping a tear from her cheek.

"Chris!"

Lucas walked up to the pair of us. He handed me a sword, maybe two feet long. It was well used: the metal was starting to rust, and there were small notches cut from the sides.We nodded to each other, and he turned to his sister.

"Clara, I still don't trust this human. This is your chance, say the word and we'll send him off alone."

"Luke, I'm much older now. This is my decision. I'm sorry you're worried for me, but I can do this by myself. You've gotta let me go. What would Mom want?"

_The first mention of a mother. Must have been a long story. Not worth mentioning until a few chapters have passed._

He sighed again. "Fine. But you be careful."

They hugged each other in the way only siblings can, filled with fear and worry and love and care all at the same time. My siblings and I never hugged that way. Just another factor that draws our worlds apart.

I picked up my bag and started walking. Then I remembered I did not have a clue where I was going, and stopped to wait for Clara. "Lead the way!" I said cheerfully.

We were on the border of the village when she decided to look back.

It wasn't a stare that would persuade her to change her mind, that was already made up. It was one of sorrow; one she would make only twice in her lifetime, and only at the sight of _loss._

I nudged her arm. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's nothing." She turned away and began walking.

The day was bright and glorious, not a cloud in the sky. It couldn't have been a more perfect day to begin a journey. There were birds chirping in the trees, the pleasant sound of water flowing in a nearby creek, and the rare sight of a human and fox walking together in the woods.

_I saw a snowflake fall from the sky in front of me. It was a deep shade of black._


	6. Explanation

_Consider this:_

_A zero-dimensional space contains none of the necessities that compose the second or third dimensions. It has no length, width, or depth: all objects represented in that dimension are points. Having no space, there can't really be linear time, either. _

_So, what would happen if a three-dimensional object (or person) were to be transferred to the zero-dimensional space? Would it be frozen in time and space, or cease to exist? Would it retain memory or ability? And where would such a dimension exist?_

"Hey!" *clap*

I zoned back in. Clara and I were in the same forest, just walking along. It was around midday, which means we had only been walking for an hour or so. Hopefully, she had been leading, because I was completely lost.

"You okay?"

I checked my forehead and wiped sweat from it. "Yeah, I'm fine."

She analyzed my face.

"You confuse me. You don't act like the other humans I've seen. Where did you say you were from?"

I looked down to the ground and chuckled a bit at that.

"Tell me!"

When something weird happens (I learned from experience), there is always a long period of explanation. I was hoping to hold out on it, and ride on the anonymity. But the situation came all too soon. There was still my reluctance. _Might as well explain. There's no telling how much she'll understand. _

"Alright, I'll tell you. But you gotta promise not to judge me afterward. It's a farfetched story."

She nodded.

"Okay, I come from the year 2013. We have houses made from plaster and drywall, and weird transportation called "cars" which drive on roads of cement and asphalt. There's huge buildings that tower hundreds of feet in the air, and flying machines that carry people all around the world. Any of this sound... believable?"

She had her hand (_Or paw, whichever fits.)_ on her chin, obviously pondering the odd words and lack of description. It's difficult to explain modern civilization to anyone not familiar with it. Either she found an explanation useless, or was amazed. "Keep going..."

"I live in 'Rancho Cucamonga.' It's a town of around 150 thousand people, and..."

"Hold on."

Pause. So the confusing truth comes out.

"You said your village has one hundred and fifty, _thousand?"_

"Yeah?"

"The Templar's last census placed the humans at one hundred-twenty thousand!"

"Even more so. My world has over seven billion in total."

I dropped that one pretty quickly. I can't remember how she reacted to that one: it must have been a combination of surprise and astonishment like no other. At that point, it was probably the best decision to drop the subject.

"So tell me about _this_ world. I mean, if I'm gonna be here for a while, might as well get used to it."

"Heh, from what you've told me so far, there's no way you'll believe me."

We decided to sit down on the roots of a tree. I placed my bag on the ground next to us. There was a bit of embarrassment: I still hadn't bathed in a two-day period. Fortunately, Clara didn't seem to notice. _Anyone else I know would have noticed!_

"This is the year 471, I think? There's several species of Keidran; there's us foxes, the wolves and dogs to the north, and the white wolves in the far north. Oh, and the cat and tiger tribes to the far east. Got most of it?"

It was intimidating, knowing all these animals walk on two legs and speak a language.

"Kinda, continue."

"Ok, there's also two tribes of Basitins on an island in the south. Mostly, they don't make contact with the mainland or visit very often. I haven't actually seen one. But I hear they're really short and they have long pointy ears!"

I chuckled a bit. It seemed to make her happy, for she did as well. _Things are starting to look great, don't you think?_

"My dad did know of one named Rolan. He had a son named Nickolai." She sighed the way only she could. "Someday, after all this is over, I wanna journey to that island, maybe meet Nick." Her mind wandered off momentarily. I waited a bit before saying anything else.

"Is that every species?"

"Well, then there's you humans. Your kind has been waging war against our kind for years now. You've killed hundreds of Keidran in border disputes. My parents were enslaved by a group of vile humans, and we've grown to hate all of you."

"So why, then?"

She looked up at me, slightly startled. "Why what?"

"Why did you choose to lead me to town? I'm a human."

She had to sit back and think about that for a second. Choosing to travel with a human must have been an insane decision. With tensions rising and consistent hatred, she must have not been thinking when she took the challenge.

"I- I'm not sure... You seem...different from other humans. All they know is killing anything that is unlike them. You...don't kill."

A slight pause accompanied the moment.

"...why?"

"I don't know. It's just... no one should be treated differently just because they look different. It's not fair, they can't help being that way."

Clara's eyes met mine. Her's were the largest, cutest eyes I had ever seen. It was a sparkling moment that made her all the more attractive. After a few seconds she turned away, obviously flustered, and giggled a bit. _Memorable._

* * *

It was probably around two in the afternoon when my stomach made the most disturbing noise it has ever made. I felt like apologizing to Clara and leaving to die.

She had heard it. "If you're hungry, we're approaching a hunting ground soon. I don't know how to hunt, though, I'm only nine."

_Wait a second. _I stopped walking and turned to her. I said nervously, "I'm sorry, could you repeat that?"

"I'm around nine years old, probably turning ten in a month or so."

Thoughts of arrest on the grounds of pedophilia streamed into my head. There was either something _seriously_ wrong with this world, or I was changing without my knowledge.

"...I'm sorry?"

"Oh, I did forget to mention: we Keidran don't age like humans. I'd be a young adult by now. Probably the human equivalent of eighteen."

That was the biggest relief of the day. "Oh, thank god! I was worried."

"Why so much concern?"

I remembered my inability to sleep the night before, and the method used to finally achieve it. Needless to say, any mention of that would be awkward. Even more, I might have been imagining the attractive body of a nine-year-old girl. If that were the case, I could never live with myself.

"No reason..."

I grabbed my school backpack off of my extra shoulder and unzipped the front pocket. I had always kept a snack in there for emergencies, and I felt this qualified. "That's okay. I've got something."

I pulled out a green-wrapped granola bar. Clara stared at it. It was confusing; there was probably no granola and no wrapping in the fifth century.

"What is that?"

"Oh, this? It's a granola bar."

"What's it made of?"

My first thought was "granola," but there's no way she would know about that.

"Small seeds and nuts baked and mixed with honey. I'm not exactly sure _how _they combine it, but it tastes good once it's mixed. You wanna try some?"

"Humans _eat _seeds?"

"Well, at least in my world."

"Another thing I forgot, we Keidran can only eat meat. We get sick if we eat plants. They don't taste good anyway."

I put away the granola bar. "Here, let's find some food."


	7. Recollection

I stood absolutely still in the stream. My legs, frozen as they were, remained unnoticed by anything in the water. (I questioned whether to be relieved or worried: it was possible that they were numb and destroyed.) The stick was raised in the air like a proper spear. I felt like a statue.

Clara watched from the shore. She wasn't just waiting, however, she was on the metaphorical "edge of her seat." Both excited and nervous, she would determine the outcome by her reaction. But that would all depend on my ability to catch a fish.

Yeah, the water was clear, and there were fish all around. But one false move and everything would be over, physically and emotionally.

So there was one at my feet. It was larger and much slower than the rest, making it an unbelievably easy target. Seeing the opportunity, I stabbed at it.

_Missed._

All the other fish were gone in an instant. That one larger fish didn't speed up, nor seem to take any notice of me. I guess it was my lucky day: a blind and deaf fish, with enough meat to feed the two of us.

I stabbed at it again. The stick pierced its skin and brought it up.

–

"How exactly do we cook this?"

"Cook?"

I looked over at Clara. She tore a good portion of the fish directly with her teeth, ripping it in half. She chewed joyously for a second before she noticed the look on my face. There was blood all over her fur and the ground around her.

Her ears dropped in a look of shame. She handed me the other half of the fish.

"I'm sorry, I forgot humans couldn't eat it raw."

I grabbed some sticks and rocks and pretended to start a fire. In reality I had no idea how to start a fire without a match or lighter. But it looked good to seemingly know what I was doing.

"So, how did the humans and Keidran grow to hate each other?"

"Oh, jeez, it's been a long time. I'm not sure I remember very well."

"Please, whatever you know."

"It was a long time ago, before my grandparents were born. Humans and Keidran lived peacefully for a while. We found ways to work together. We grew together. That's what they told me."

She laughed to herself. "I can't even imagine."

I looked over at her. What I didn't perceive at the time was the lack of intimidation. She should have at least questioned her actions. This would have been a death sentence for any other Keidran, and yet, she was speaking to me as if we had known each other our entire lives.

"Sounds too good to be true. What happened?"

"It was one day, a bunch of years back. A tiger clan found one of their own dead in the forest, with no explanation except an unconscious human nearby. They accused the human of murder and kept him prisoner for weeks."

She continued. "Another human wandered into the village after a while and saw the captive. Then everything collapsed from there. "

"Did they ever prove that the human killed the tiger?"

"They didn't have a chance. He just disappeared. Even the humans couldn't find him." She leaned in. "But the strangest thing is: he wasn't like the other humans. He wore clothing with weird lines and an odd shade of blue on the bottom. And he carried a zippy pack. Kinda like...well..."

She shot me a nervous glance. I was still wearing the Hurley t-shirt and jeans from the day before. "Woah, woah. You aren't suggesting that...I am...?"

"No, that can't be possible. It was over sixty years ago. But he looked like you, and was around your height."

I felt it best to drop the subject. It was getting dark, and I wanted to sleep soundly that night. Disregarding the possibility that I could meet my demise at the hands of Clara herself, I kept on going.

"Continuous war for sixty years?"

"It's been tough. We've lost our parents to a group of human hunters a few years back."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

She paused. I didn't expect it. She was facing the ground as if suffering.

"... I-I was there, too."

"... I had to watch."

"... I could have saved them, if I had just screamed, or did something, they would have seen them and been able to fight, but I froze, we all froze, and I couldn't..."

I put my arm around her shoulder just as she began to cry. Once she had calmed her sister, as all siblings should. It was my turn to return the favor: she needed it. _I suppose everyone becomes emotional over something. I really couldn't blame her. Had I lost my parents to another species, I would swear revenge. I should have admired her furthermore: it must have taken every ounce of effort not to kill me in her parents' name. _

I had no clue how to comfort someone in this type of situation. I had neither experience nor knowledge. The rocks I had been scraping together instantly sparked and produced a fire.

"Hey, it's not your fault."

"Sorry, I just feel awful whenever I think about it."

"Here, let's set up camp for the night." I said it in as cheerful a voice as possible. Anything I could to cheer her up was best. I grabbed the bag that Clara had so graciously packed.

She wiped her tears with her arm. I could have sworn I had seen that somewhere before. I couldn't remember, though. It had been a long day already. And I was sure that night would be no easy endeavor. Least we had a fire.


End file.
